Sec.17-12a-15. Disclosure of and access to information contained in food stamp case records

(a) General

Use and/or disclosure of information obtained from Food Stamp households is restricted to certain individuals, and agencies.

(b) Access to Information

(1) Access to information used in the determination of eligibility and benefit levels of individuals and households applying for or receiving food stamps is limited by Federal regulation to:

(A) persons directly connected with the administration or enforcement of the provisions of the Food Stamp Act or regulations;

(B) persons administering other Federal assistance programs;

(C) persons administering Federally assisted State programs which provide assistance on a means-tested basis to low income individuals such as Aid to Families with Dependent Children, Supplemental Security Income, and Medicaid;

(D) employees of the Comptroller General's Office of the United States for audit examination authorized by any provision of law;

(E) local, State or Federal law enforcement officials, upon their written request for the purposes of investigating an alleged violation of the Food Stamp Act or regulations.

(F) households applying for or receiving Food Stamp benefits, their Authorized Representative, or an individual acting on behalf of the household, upon their written request.

(2) Law enforcement officials and household members, prior to the case review, or obtaining information must submit a written request to the Department of Income Maintenance representative.

(A) A written request received from law enforcement officials must include:

(i) the identity of the individual requesting the information; and

(ii) the authority to do so; and

(iii) the violation being investigated; and

(iv) the identity of the person on whom the information is requested.

(B) The written request submitted by head of household, the household's authorized representative, or an individual acting on behalf of the household must include:

(i) name of the person making the request; and

(ii) date of request; and

(iii) reason for the request; and

(iv) signature of the head of household or its authorized representative.

(3) The food stamp case record is available for inspection during normal business hours.

(4) The Department of Income Maintenance can withhold confidential information such as:

(A) the names of individuals who have disclosed information about the household without the household's knowledge; or

(B) the nature or status of pending criminal prosecutions.

(Effective June 2, 1986)